TRAVEL: Welcome to the Broadway of beer

WALKING down a long pedestrianised stretch there are bars either side as far as the eye can see, it is like the Broadway of beer.

Each different establishment offers something a little bit different, but ultimately it just a variation on a theme – drinking. This is Dusseldorf.

In Germany’s new reign as the party kingdom of Europe this formerly industrial city is a hotspot. On a Saturday everywhere are throngs of stags, with a smattering of hens, gearing up for, or in some cases peaking too soon for, the heart of the night.

The city itself is pretty, if not quite as spectacular as some of its better known contemporaries. Its prime drinking locations, the promenade of the River Rheine and old town, provide everything you need in terms of scenery.

As is customary in Germany the bars are furnished with the long tables and beer is drunk out of steins. However the local beer, Alt, is a little bit stronger than the regular German pilsner and comes in smaller glasses which are probably about a third of a pint. These are rarely more than €1.60 and in some of the smaller, more traditional bars, this is the only beer you will get.

Come 11pm the party district is in full swing. Most bars seem dominated by young German men in various states of dress/inebriation/voice. The overriding soundtrack is the blare of the amazingly popular Eurotrash. Music designed, it seems, to be sung in full gusto by young shirtless men keen on fist-pumping.

In order to enjoyed such an experience one has to throw themselves into it without pretention. This is not a place to harbour apprehension, but the drink is cheap and the locals are friendly so it is not difficult to get into the spirit.

If that does not take your interest there are literally hundreds of bars where you can create your own brand of fun. Much like all the best party destinations entertainment often comes in the most unassuming of venues. A little way down Bolkerstraße our party stumbled across what at first glance looks like a stripped back diner.

The nameless establishment comprised a long narrow room with a bar taking occupying the front half. Past that are booths and in between the those is a narrow dance floor. There are plenty of locations with nicer decors, but few with a more unique atmosphere and even less with a DJ playing genres as varied as dancehall and bhangra.

Again the drinks were cheap, but here the selection of schnapps seemingly endless. One particular delight was the local liquor Killepitsch, a sweet, dark coloured, think liquid, best described as a pleasant-tasting Jagermeister.

After such a night it is a mercy to be able to head back to a hotel out of earshot of the central district, but not prohibitively far out of the city. The light and airy Maritim Hotel, offers luxury and comfort not often found in airport hotels. Its soft furnishings and vast breakfast buffet provide a perfect remedy to cure the ills suffered enjoying yourself the night before.

The hotel’s light atrium is soothing and its wood-panelled bars and brasseries are convincingly similar to a high-class city centre hotel. The multiple quick and simple transport links into Dusseldorf ensure easy access is not sacrificed.

However to brush straight through the night and into the morning would do a disservice to the city’s excellent array of restaurants. Any variety of cuisine you can imagine is available and mostly found in the attractive old town area.

With limited time to sample everything Dusseldorf culinary scene has to offer the party I was with opted to go for something local. There are a number of brauerei restaurants in the old town, they all offer vastly similar menus, mostly centred around large hunks of meat.

We chose to eat at Zum Schiffen With a charming covered seating section perfect for people-watching the cobbled street.

To come to Germany asparagus season and go home without sampling some of the country’s delicious white asparagus is criminal. Easing your way into dinner with the vegetable prepared as a soup is a great way to enjoy one of the nation’s finest delicacies.

Wanting to try and make this as true a Rhine-region experience as possible I opted for the Schweinshaxe. Usually available as a half portion and a whole portion our burly waiter refused to serve the smaller portion, as if to challenge the heart, physically and metaphorically, of the diner.

I was told expect something that looked like a pork scratching the size of a boxing glove. I was not disappointed.

The dish is essentially a roasted ham hock deep fried to create a crisp crackling shell. Once through the shell, which I saved for later, the meat itself was some of the most succulent and delicious I have ever tasted. The dish is no frills, but enhanced by the local Mostertpöttche mustard it epitomises German dining at its best.

As ever with Dusseldorf it is best enjoyed with a local brew, however for those beer weary at this point could also opt for Riesling, who sweet flavour goes down nicely with the tender pork.

Eating and nightlife are not Dusseldorf’s only highlights. The city has a number of art galleries and the biggest Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen 20 (K20 or imaginatively translated as Art Collection Northrhine-Westphalia) is a wonderfully-appointed art space.

For our visit it housed a fantastic Miro exhibition, chronicling the Spanish artist’s career across two vast halls. Whilst it might not be everybody’s stein when it comes to a hangover cure, there is something incredibly soothing about a brilliant white gallery and Miro’s alluring work splashed across wide canvasses.

The gallery seemed an odd, but nonetheless welcome break from the overpowering drinking culture the rest of the city seems beholden to.

K20 is part of a well-established art scene in Dusseldorf, but one that is not immediately obvious.

Sticking to the old town drinking scene and scoping out the city’s artier side, even if they are not the most obvious bedfellows, can provide more than enough entertainment for a weekend.

Dusseldorf is great for a weekend. About an hour and a half away on one of bmi regional’s top quality flights from Bristol you would be headed for a city not lacking in entertainment.

TRAVEL FACTS:

• bmi regional operates daily flights (excluding Saturdays) from Bristol to Dusseldorf with fares starting from £79 one way, to include food and drinks onboard and a 20kg hold baggage allowance.
•  bmi regional operates more than 300 flights each week, serving 22 UK and European destinations. Visitbmiregional.com.
•  Tom Bassam stayed at the first class deluxe Maritim Hotel Dusseldorf which is directly connected to the airport terminal by a covered walkway and is 15 minutes from the city centre by taxi.
•  The contemporary hotel features 533 elegantly furnished rooms and suites. There are three different restaurants to choose from, including the popular sushi bar, SushiSho, and a further three bars in which to relax and enjoy a drink. The hotel also boasts an exclusive wellness area with pool, sauna, steam bath and fitness facilities.
•  One night’s accommodation in a Comfort Room starts from 89,00 Euros including free wi-fi and use of wellness centre. Continental breakfast from 9,60 Euro and a lavish international breakfast buffet 24,00 Euro.